In the home of Simon Powers, the final preparations are being made for Simon’s total immersion into The System. This technology will allow him to control the physical environment after his death, meaning that he will be able to forever be in touch with his loved ones, manipulate his businesses, and propagate his legacy. Simon …
Preview: Memory download
Each robot now begins a complete transformation into its human character. There is a download of information including fragments of personality and memories. One by one, the human characters emerge from the robots, ready to enact the drama: Video production by Paula Aguilera and Jonathan Williams To be continued... Death and the Powers Preview Series …
Preview Series: Prologue
Approaching a new piece of music, especially one as complex as an opera, is an imposing challenge for the audience. There is almost too much to take in - the story, music, language, the action and staging. Most audience members will feel as though they have barely grazed the surface the first time they see …
The Economist: Inventing the opera of the future (video)
The Economist has published an excellent article "A technology maestro," about Tod Machover's work at the MIT Media Lab. The magazine's web site includes an excellent video documentary. In the documentary, Tod explains how the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band motivated him to explore technologies that could bring the complexity and richness of …
Continue reading "The Economist: Inventing the opera of the future (video)"
Death and the Powers Premiere – Video
Check out this footage from the world premiere performance of Death and the Powers. We get to hear audience reactions. Composer Tod Machover describes how everything came together flawlessly - a huge achievement in itself given the sheer complexity of all the technology, lighting and audio, as well as the demands of the opera itself. …
After the premiere: Gala at the Hotel de Paris
"Last night feels like it was a dream. A hazy, rainbow-colored dream." -Allegra Libonati, assistant director, the night after the gala After the premiere, the entire cast and crew of the opera joined the guests at a black tie gala at the Hotel de Paris, next door to the Monte Carlo Opera House. Futurum spared …
Continue reading "After the premiere: Gala at the Hotel de Paris"
Opening Night
"Bot 25, stand by." "Standing by." "Bot 25, GO." I am invisible in the left wing of the stage, watching mesmerized as the bots whir and click before me. I've sat through dress rehearsals and watched the robots run through this choreography hundreds of times, but tonight, things feel different. This is the first time …
Interview with the Miseries
I filmed this brief interview with a subset of the Miseries a few days ago on the back steps of the opera house, with the help of assistant director Allegra Libonati. The Miseries represent, well, the misery in the world - the pain, the torture, the anguish - as the victims of the famine and …
Interview with David Woolard, Costume Designer
I was wandering around backstage at the Salle Garnier when I stumbled across the (very hot) wardrobe room, where David Woolard was finishing up the final touches on the suit jackets of the delegates from the United Nations, the United Way, and the Administration. David has designed costumes for such Broadway shows as West Side …
Continue reading "Interview with David Woolard, Costume Designer"
Interview with Tod Machover 3: From the Libretto to Monaco
This is the third of the three-part interview with Tod Machover discussing the history of Death and the Powers. Here, Tod talks about how the project evolved from the first draft of the libretto to today's full-scale production, from about 2004 to 2010. This is probably my favorite interview I've filmed to date - you …
Continue reading "Interview with Tod Machover 3: From the Libretto to Monaco"
Opera of the Future 